The US Fish and Wildlife Service is excited to announce a fisheries technician internship at the Mid- Columbia Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office located in Leavenworth, Washington. The intern will be working as a part of a team to support research and monitoring efforts for variety of fishery related projects conducted at salmon hatcheries and rivers in eastern Washington. The intern will provide support to projects conducted by the Hatchery Evaluation, Native Fish Conservation, and Habitat Restoration Programs.  For additional information see: https://www.fws.gov/leavenworthfisheriescomplex/MidColumbiaFWCO/IndexMCFWCO.cfm

The primary duties of this position include:
Field projects (75%)

• Chinook, Bull Trout, and Pacific Lamprey spawning ground surveys and carcass sampling
• Trapping and netting juvenile fish
• Night snorkeling remote streams in the wilderness to document Bull Trout distribution and life history attributes
• Collecting environmental DNA samples to understand Bull Trout and lamprey species distribution
• Habitat restoration studies

Hatchery projects (25 %):

• Fish sampling at multiple National Fish Hatcheries
• Marking and tagging juvenile hatchery salmon
• Collecting, dissecting and identifying tags from salmon carcasses

This is a field intensive position that involves working long hours in inclement weather while walking on uneven, slippery terrain in an and around cold swift flowing water.  Night work and backpacking may be necessary for back country studies. Lifting and carrying heavy items up to 50 pounds for extended periods of time may be necessary.
This position will afford the intern the opportunity to gain, or refine, skills in data collection and management, field based GIS mapping, fish identification, fish collection methods (eg. electrofishing), tagging and marking fish, as well as handling endangered and threatened species.

Qualifications:

• Some course work, experience, and strong interest in fisheries and aquatic sciences
• Strong swimming ability
• Ability to work long days in swift moving water and slippery terrain
• Ability to work as a team and independently
• Ability to record accurate field data and follow set protocols

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in conducting biological surveys
• Experience in fisheries monitoring
• Basic knowledge of data entry methods and programs (e.g. Microsoft Access, Excel)

A valid driver’s license is required.  Applicants will be evaluated based on application information, references, and the match of the applicant’s skills with the needs of the field office.